Arts and humanities have long been a source of expression present in human civilizations since the beginning. From literature to paintings, to dance and music, there are hundreds of forms that enable people to create incredible pieces of media. As beautiful as these art pieces are, though, their underlying meanings often go unnoticed to the average viewer.
Throughout history, media has been used as a way to not only express thoughts or feelings, but political opinions and unconventional ideas, subtly challenging society in an easily digestible way. The graffiti artist Banksy is a prominent example of this, having used their art to make statements on current events as recent as September 8, 2025, when they revealed a mural targeting the Royal Court of London judges who arrested over 900 protestors across the United Kingdom. Banksy’s unconventional, yet infamous, art has been gaining notoriety for over 30 years.
“I feel like there’s a sort of nuance you can achieve if you go beyond vocal explanation of a topic,” Chris Otto, a sophomore on Lincoln East’s slam poetry team, said. “There’s just so much more to be explored in the creative world rather than just speaking about it. I feel like it is very prevalent today that people should be able to express themselves, because limiting the free speech of one will eventually limit the free speech of everybody. Preserving [these] spaces where people can express themselves through their art, it’s just so important.”
Otto brings an important point to the conversation, one that is increasingly relevant in today’s cultural climate. Following the Trump administration’s elimination of federal funding for the National Public Radio (NPR), and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), media groups across the country are beginning to close. WPSU, a public media organization in Pennsylvania is set to be the first to shut down, with New Jersey’s public television network likely to follow.
In addition, President Trump, elected chairman of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in May 2025, has caused hundreds of donors to turn away from supporting the Kennedy Center by replacing all former board members. This, combined with the firing of over 30 staff members, has negatively contributed to the well-being of the Kennedy Center and deterioration of the quality of their programs.
Donors aren’t the only people that the Kennedy Center is losing. In March 2025, many LGBTQ+ artists began refusing to perform at the Kennedy Center, boycotting their scheduled gigs. Others also cancelled their appearances in allyship to make their opinions about the new changes clear. Among these artists are actress and comedian Issa Rae, rock band Low Cut Connie, and singer-musician Rhiannon Giddens, as well as several actors in the musicals Les Miserables and Hamilton.
Actions and events like this should not be normalized, as they not only limit the speech of those running the organizations, but limit the accessibility to news and coverage of current events. As a country with a strong sense of patriotism, we need to reassess the values that our country is founded on, and make sure that those are being upheld through federal decisions. The very first amendment to our constitution was made to protect free speech, but it needs to be asserted that this goes beyond just the freedom to talk. Protection of creative arts and the humanities should also be included and preserved under the “free speech” umbrella.
“This is how people develop their interests into more than just hobbies,” Riley Westerholt, an administrator at Larksong Writer’s Place, said. “Being able to have programs that support [the development of creative skills] as people are growing up allows them to actually develop and use these talents.”
The devaluation of art and artistic programs is becoming more and more common in today’s world, which is why we must work towards protecting it. It can be as small as donating to organizations like the Kennedy Center or public media, or as large as petitioning for legislation to protect these areas. Creative outlets and the promotion of creative works allow people to not only access these pieces of media, but explore their own identity and values. Art that challenges viewpoints and beliefs is often the most powerful instigator, and encourages us to think beyond what we see every day – a worthwhile undertaking. Censorship prevents artists from speaking their truth, whether vocally, visually, or audibly. Without those who challenge the status quo through their media, we lose our most powerful change-makers.
